Crawley owner Ziya Eren plans to bring back academy

Crawley Town's new Turkish owner Ziya Eren with youngsters at a Crawley Town Soccer School SUS-160804-161636002

Published:09:00Saturday 09 April 2016

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Crawley Town’s new owner Ziya Eren is keen to reinstate the club’s academy.

He believes it will be a valuable way of producing players for the team and points to the success of his youth set-up of his Turkish second-tier club, Kayseri Erciyesspor.

However rather than rushing it through, he is looking to have it up and running in time for the season after next, rather than next season.

Eren said: “After having had a conversation with the council, this is something we would want to bring up.

“But at the moment this is not the priority. The priority is to bring the club back to success.

“After next season for the forthcoming season after next, we are thinking of a Crawley Town academy.

“Academies are something needed for all professional football clubs because you can’t really always buy from outside.

“You need to grow a Crawley Town player from Crawley to play for the club.

“Someone from Crawley Town will play with more heart. This is one of my projects after next season.

“I have 138 players registered at my club in Turkey, including the youth and I have nine youth coaches.

“Every season if I could get one player from Crawley or from the youth academy representing the first team, it would be delightful.

“I have seen football in both Turkey and England now. In Turkey the Federation looks after the academy more but in England the academy is not not really supported by the federation, but in England the fanbase is better and the fans’ attendances are much better, but in Turkey that’s weak.”